The Rolla Holla! Monday, January 18, 2010

On our Own

Don’t worry, the hand is healed and I am happily typing. We found an air conditioned cyber cafe with semi-new computers and they even bring you ice cream (if you ask for it). The only down side is the loud, somewhat distracting regatone music, but I’m over it :-).

Life is great in San Pedro. We worked our hearts out this week and had some great success. We set some goals and posted them on the wall along with the way we are going to achieve them. It was incredible to see the way Heavenly Father blessed us as we strived to do what we felt was his will. By the time Saturday came we had 4 different families committed to prepare for a baptismal date along with various other people. Of those people, 10 came to Sacrament Meeting on Sunday, where I conducted, my companion and I blessed the sacrement, played and directed the hymns, and the speakers? You guessed it, Elder McCarty and Elder Walker.

Doing things ourselves has sort of been a theme in our time here. There are no member to help with the work, to make us food, or to trust with our clothes, so we are housemakers, chefs, fully-responsable investigator finders and expert clothes washers in buckets with soap and clothes lines. Lots of fun in San Pedro. I’m also attaching the pictures of the house before and after we did all of our work on it. I should have taken some pictures inside but forgot to. Next week.

We had interviews and zone conference this week. In our interview, President invited me to read the missionary chapters of the book of mormon and take them as my work manual while I’m here in San Pedro, specifically to see “how those missionaries did things”. You should read them with me (I still have to find which they are, but lots in Alma, Mosiah, and I read this morning in Helaman 5). When you find the chapters, I’d love to hear which they are and your insights on how they did things to achieve such miraculous results!

I also felt the spirit deeply the day before we came out here as President knelt with us to pray and pleaded that we be blessed to establish the church, rapidly, here in San Pedro. He expressed to us that he KNEW this was the time for San Pedro to open and that we were the missionaries to do it. All we have to do is work hard and have faith that people have been prepared here for us! We set a plan this week to focus on the people of influence here in San Pedro (of course, never denying the gospel to anybody willing to accept it). President especially focused on the story of Ammon and his work with the king. I know that Heavenly Father has prepared people here that will become strong pillars of the church in San Pedro. Thank you all for everything! Love you!

Elder McCarty


Pics

IMG_0015 Here is our Apartment/Chapel before we did any work on it.

DSC05409 Here we are painting away the first few days we got there. You’ll see the final result. It actually didn’t turn out half bad.

011 In the plaza in downtown San Pedro. No idea who this guy is but he looks good in my hat.

013 Also in the Plaza, here is the sign for the city. It says, Capital of Cordiality under the name, and then, enjoy our hospitality. Turns out its true. Oh and if you look close, in the bottom right corner are the flyers we put up all over the town the first week we got here, and we even had one member who came the first Sunday because she saw one of them.

007 My companion and I outside of our newly painted chapel (on the left is the door to our apartment, which will be separated from the chapel).

The Rolla Holla! Monday, January 11, 2010

I feel a certain inexplicable anger and frustration as I type. It might be because it literally hurt and this sticky, Paraguayan keyboard isn’t making it very esay. You see, last night I was sleeping right next to me best friend Tokyo (thats the brand of my fan, which saves my life every night by letting me get at least a little sleep), and I had put off installing the front cover because I didn’t have the right bolt. Well as I stretched out this morning, my hand went right into the blades and got horribly mangled. Now it is painful to type, and I’m having a hard time getting a lot of the buttons. I’ve got it well bandaged and hopefully it will be healed by next week.

Well, despite the pain and frustration, I am stoked out of my mind to be out here in my new area. I though I had told you all this, but maybe not. Changes came in and President assigned me to open San Pedro for the first time in history to missionary work. I’m here in a dusty old internet shop with my Argentine companion, enjoying a pday FAR far away from Asunción where I have spent my entire misson.

The people out here are incredible. I think I can count the number of times we’ve been rejected on one mangled hand. They all want to know what we are all about and what is the Book of Mormon and who was Joseph Smith. Of course, their curiosity is fuel for our excitement to teach and testify with convincing power.

Over New Years, President sent the Assistant and I out here to find a house and get everything ready. While we were here, we we taught the family that owns the building we are renting. We got here Thursday at midnight, but in church yesterday, we we were still blessed to have 7 investigators, including the faimly we had taught on the first trip out. The family is incredible. The man is general manager of a large cattle ranch and is incredibly humble and obedient to whatever we say. He recognized something in us and the family has set the goal to be baptized on January 21st.

Well, we almost killed ourselves working Friday and Saturday, painting and repairing the house in every spair moment. I forget my camera so pictures will have to come later. I know God has a great work prepared for San Pedro and I feel so lucky to be an instrument in His hands.
I love you all and thank you for your support!
Elder McCarty

The Rolla Holla! Saturday, January 02, 2010

The Great Adventure to San Pedro

The change is in. Drum roll…..dubah-dubah-dubah…ching: San Pedro! (in case you missed the title :-). About 3 hours away in a speeding vehicle from Asunción. A place where missionaries from God’s only complete and restored church have literally NEVER before been. Wow! I can’t explain how excited I am. Excited…and somehow anxiously nervous at the same time. The responsibility of being these people’s ONLY contact and experience with the church is humbling. A big part of the nervousness comes from knowing just HOW much is possible. From our 3 day preparatory visit this week, I have seen how humble these people are and how WHITE the field is, ready to be harvested.

Most have never seen Americans, let alone missionaries in their lives. Many think we are representatives from the bank or from the President of Paraguay. The message of the restoration and that Jesus Christ came to visit the people of the American continent is, to them, both incredible, and inspiring. A big change from the attitude I’ve seen so many times each and every day of my mission: “Oh no, it’s the mormons again.” I suppose now my task will be less of overcoming obstacles in people’s current, incorrect conception of who we are and what we do and more CREATING understanding and INVITING powerfully to come unto Christ. How exciting.

The interesting part is that the population is relatively well-established and well-educated. In fact, those that have been most receptive so far to the message have been those that are towards the top tiers of San Pedrano society. Apart from teaching and getting to know the people of this city of 36,000 inhabitants, we were able to find a building that will serve as both our apartment and our chapel (after a few slight modifications and repairs), to get to know some of the smaller satellite towns round about, and even enjoyed a little fishing early this morning (still my P-day, until it changes to Monday the 11th next week), all before coming back to Asunción at about 4 pm this afternoon. It was an incredible adventure!

More than anything, right now, my desire is to remain humble and recognize my dependance on God. My biggest task is to STEP out of the way so that He can do His work through my hands. I am thrilled to have the opportunity. Thank you for your prayers in my behalf. They have a greater affect than ANY of us know. Keep ‘em coming, I’ll be needing them. I love you all! Have a wonderful week!

Elder McCarty

IMG_1005.JPG One night we set a goal (among other, more important ones) to take cool pics to remember Paraguay and our missions. Here was one of them…maybe we didn’t achieve the goal.

IMG_0990.JPG Another attempt at the goal, sitting on a wall, thinking we’re cool.

IMG_0074.JPG Here we are at a cool dock on the side of the river. There was a nice breeze and a beautiful view. We ate breakfast here and someday might do baptizms there as well
IMG_0061.JPG We fished all morning (spent too much time fiddling with the line and trying to find the “perfect place”) and this was all I ever caught :-)

IMG_0043.JPG Here we are at the side of a beautiful lake where we tried to fish (among like 3 other locations, since my companion was very impatient). He also fell in almost up to his waste


IMG_0038.JPG We got tons of food to eat in our hotel on New Year’s eve, but were so tired, we fell asleep before we could finish most of it. Of course, we woke up to all of the exploding fireworks at midnight, and then promptly fell back to sleep.

The Rolla Holla! Saturday, December 26, 2009

It was refreshing to speak with my family and to remember how much I love them and how well I get along with them. They are so incredible and I am so thankful to all of them and to all of you for the prayers and support.

It’s heatin up in Paraguay. Rain is even unwelcome since it only makes it hotter afterwards from the evaporating moisture (almost like reverse rain going upwards) from the HOT Paraguayan sun. A feeling I’m sure I’ll look back on in 2 years with nostalgia. For now, I’m just trying to pretend like I’m in a Sauna.

Things really are great. I can’t express how excited I am to get back out into the field and I know Heavenly Father will send me RIGHT where I need to go…like he always has, both on the mission and off. I know he takes care of those that are at least TRYING to do what is right, imperfect as we may be.

Training has been crazy here in the office. There have been more than several occasions where Elder Peterson has leaned back, rubbed his red, bloodshot eyes, and said, “my brain is fried…we need a break.” That’s how things roll here in the office. There is lots to do and never enough time to do it. I sure have learned to be at peace even with lots of things up in the air.

Changes are different again this time, so we are going out to eat all you can eat meat at Paulistas tonight, and the departing missionaries go home on Wednesday. I could go out THEN or possibly the following Wednesday when the rest of the mission gets changed. I’ll let you know what happens.

The special changes along with Christmas have made it hard to get much work done in my new area (Campo Grande, where I’ll be just 2 weeks). We’ve still seen the miracles with the little time we’ve had and found an awesome investigator named Maria who lit up when we told her she could speak with God. The miracle was that we found her through a front gate speaker contact. There’s a first for everything. We gained her confidence when my new companion (and even before that, best friend) showed her a picture of his dog at home, which looked a lot like her dog (which happened to be HER best friend). Through small and simple things… :-).

Well I love you all and wish you a Merry Christmas (a little late) and a Happy New Year! With love!

Elder McCarty

Img 0499 Elder Maddux’s birthday was full of funny stories. WE had a rental car because the other mission needed to borrow our van. Well, Maddux wanted to go see if he could eat a whole KILO of Quatro D (the BEST) ice cream on his birthday. As we rushed there, he crashed the car (not too bad) and blamed it on the brakes not working…lol. Anyhow, he ate the ice cream and we were all amazed, since we ate 1 Kilo among like 5 of us. Hahaha.

Img 0495 Pres. And Hma Wade took us out to lunch for Elder Maddux’s Birthday. The waitresses made him dance and before he did it he glanced at them, then at pres, and back and forth, until President NOT saying anything was taken as permission and he did. She even spun him around. It was hilarious.

Img 0476 Elder Vail and I swinging at our new favorite place to eat in our area where they make REAL smoothies and delicious sandwiches. It’s called “Lemonaid.”

122009 034 Cool sunset, and me just as happy as can be.

122009 026 Rodrigo (a Joven from the ward) and I sitting at a bus stop. We didn’t take a bus, but just thought it would be a cool pic. I think we were wrong…lol.
011 Trio pics. Pretty awesome sunset but our faces didn’t really turn out. Me, Elder Vail and Elder Peterson.

Remember this as you put your new years resolutions.

“He whose life is not in harmony with his conscience, and who is anxious to remedy his mind and conduct in a particular direction, let him first mature his purpose by earnest thought and self-examination, and having arrived at a final conclusion, let him frame his resolve, and having done so let him not swerve from it, let him remain true to his decision under all circumstances, and he cannot fail to achieve his good purpose; for the Great Law ever shields and protects him who, no matter how deep his sins, or how great and many his failures and mistakes, has, deep in his heart, resolved upon the finding of a better way, and every obstacle must at last give way before a matured and unshaken resolve.” –James Allen

The Rolla Holla! Saturday, December 19, 2009

Well, Elder Peterson from Arizona came into the office yesterday to begin his training as the new Executive Secretary of the Paraguay Asunción North Mission. I’ve been teaching him everything I can, since I’ll probably be out of here within 2 or 3 weeks. The funny thing is how much he has been teaching me. He is an incredible guy who is kind and loving and so desirous to serve his fellow missionaries. He will do a GREAT job here in the office and I’m excited for him to take my place.
This morning we were studying to begin our Pday and the phone, which I had given to him already to get him used to responding to the phone calls we get each day, began ringing. Usually in study I either silence the phone calls or answer quickly and write down what the need is to take care of it later. But he was so helpful and understanding and wanted to get this particular misisonary the help he needed as soon as possible. It was a lesson to me. There are times when all of the demands here in the office drag you down, but I have been watching how he overcomes it all to give the best service he can give. It has been a great example to me.
Needless to say, I’m also excited to get back out into the field. I feel like there is a whole world out there waiting for me and I am fired up to go out and give it my best shot. I don’t know where I’ll be going yet, but I’ll let you know as soon as I do. Soon I’ll be going back to the Monday p-days, the utter physical exhaustion and the uncontrollable happiness of being all day in the service of my God. I’dm finally found that peace here in the office, and I’m sure it will be as powerful as it was before as soon as I get back to the field.
I love you all and thank you for your support!
Elder McCarty

The Rolla Holla! Saturday, December 12, 2009

Reinforced Resolution

Resolutions are interesting things. Everbody makes them. We’re getting ready to make a whole list of them with the coming of the new year. But do we really understand what it means to make a resolve? This week I have been struck over and over again with the importance of being slow to make and determined to keep resolutions in order to become more like Jesus Christ. Slow to make them, because when hastily set, they really don’t mean anything, and determined to keep them, beceause that determination is what really brings us lasting happiness and peace in the end.This week has been one in which the Lord has made me strong in my weakness (Ether 12:27). I don’t know if I told you about the problem with the family we baptized, that had a fight with one of the great member families of the ward. Most of all, it was just a big misunderstanding. With the help of the Spirit, my companion and I were able to carefully handle the delicate issue. I felt especially prompted to invite the long time ward member family to write a letter of apology and to warmly invite our converts back into friendship (since before, they had been the best friends and greatest support to our converts). Really, the misunderstanding and getting unjustifiably angry happened on the part of our converts. But I have learned that often he who is not at fault is also most able to fix the situation through humble apology. They did, and the situation was resolved. I was overcome with joy to see them return to church and to see the brightness return to their eyes. God truly guides us as we humbly serve him in order to bring to pass his work and glory. On the lighter side, this week we took Elder Vail’s nametag hostage in the office. We had a whole prank planned out since we locked him in one part of the office. We were going to change his desktop screen to show the picture that I’m attaching and then make our demand. Anyhow, being the escape artist that he is, he got out and walked in on us in the middle of our schemings. Sometimes amidst the hard work and hurry of office life, we’ve gotta have a little fun. Speaking of failed plans, we tried to have a family night Monday with the Montiel Family (converts from about 6 months ago). We took a DVD player and the Restoration DVD but forgot the remote! So, we couldn’t change it into Spanish. We toyed with the idea of translating as we watched it, but just decided to come and do it another night. We ate the brownies I’d cooked and taught a quick lesson. Then, as we got ready to go (our time to be in the house was near) the mother of the family brought out dinner. Oops. We told her we couldn’t but she insisted, again and again. So, we ate a little bit, quickly, and complimenting the food, asked if we could take the rest to go in my brownie pan. We ran to the car, with the other Elders that had been waiting for us and sped home. After it all, we made it home just 10 minutes late. We’ve also been seeing some great success among those lost sheep of our ward. I mentioned Hermano Dure who overcame his addiction. He’s now brought all 4 of his boys back to activity and we’re even hoping they’ll be able to come out with us and help us in the work. We visited the Romero Family as well this week. They have a hard situation in which they have to pay a lot towards the wife’s health condition. The Father of the family has little education and has to drive cattle trucks to make the necessary income, which won’t allow him to attend church. It is so hard to see these families that have such difficult situations and to know what they could do to get the Lord’s help in overcoming them. Sometimes, though, we can just love them, and encourage them, and pray for them to overcome. I am so happy to be in the Lord’s work and to see it from this perspective—an opportunity I NEVER would have had anywhere else. I know I’m where I am supposed to be.

I love you all so much!

Have a great week!

Elder McCarty

120709 009 Cool paintings on a wall in our area.

120709 025 Almost falling in a 3 foot hole. They often put sticks in these that stick up like 2 feet so drivers know to avoid driving there. In this picture, the tire serves that purpose.

120709 035 A cool sunset after a rainy day.

121209 003 This is where we go to pick up the mail every week. Looks like Harry Potter.

121209 012 The plaza inside the mail place down town. Pretty cool

120709 021 Sitting on top of an old building structure. There are lots of these here in Paraguay.

120509 038 We took Elder Vail’s Nametag hostage.

The Rolla Holla! Saturday, December 05, 2009

Floods of Water and Adventure
Friends and Family! This has been an incredible week. Thursday we were caught in a giant Paraguayan rainstorm as we hurried Elders from the farthest zone to the bus terminal from zone conference. We drove through 2 to 3 feet of water and almost couldn’t see through the frantically flipping windsheild wipers that became almost useless in the torrents.
On the way back, we had to brave a steep hill and while we were sure we could make it, and did, some unfortunate soul had broken down in the middle of the road. Elder Vail and I looked at eachother, smiled, and started taking off and out the things we didn’t want to get wet, because we DID. Ties, planners, white handbooks, cell phones and wallets were all left in the car. We jumped out into almost a half a foot of water running down the asphault and were instantly soaked by the huge raindrops. We ran down to see if we could help and found that the car was stuck in park. Mustering all of my auto-mechanic know-how I tried to change the gears as Vail stood ready to push. Nothing worked and we left soked and useless, only able to offer a smile. Sure was an adventure though.
The work in the area is moving along. There are so many people that need our help and so little time. We hope to get Ramon and Mirta to church tomorrow as well as a new Peruvian family we’ve been working with. I know God is preparing people for us and can’t wait to continue forward in His work, having lots of great adventures along the way!
Elder McCarty



Trying to get a pic with the sunset that really didn’t work

Sweet sunset when Elder Vail and I had to go on a roadtrip to drive the judge to a wedding (cool stories to tell later with more time)

Playing a cool table soccer game with the Vailster